Salman Khan has been dealing with a painful nerve condition for years.
Recently, the Dabangg star opened up about his traumatic experience with trigeminal neuralgia, a condition that causes sudden and severe facial pain, sharing that his struggle reportedly began in 2007 while he was filming Partner.
At first, the Indian actor and those around him though the pain could be related to his teeth. However, Khan later learned that he was suffering from the chronic neurological condition.
After living with the condition for several years, he finally spoke about his struggles publicly in August 2011.
The same year, he underwent the Gamma Knife surgery in the UK, successfully eliminating the condition that affected him for years. However, he still continues to manage the lingering effects of the disorder.
What is trigeminal neuralgia?
Trigeminal neuralgia is a “chronic pain disorder that causes intense pain attacks in your face. It happens when your trigeminal nerve is damaged or irritated,” as per Cleveland Clinic.
Trigeminal neuralgia symptoms
Symptoms of the chronic condition include sudden, sharp pain in face, usually on one side, which may be an electric shock-like or stabbing sensation.
Trigeminal neuralgia causes
In the most common form, trigeminal neuralgia occurs when a blood vessel presses against the trigeminal nerve near the base of the brain, causing interfere with the nerve’s normal function which leads to intense pain signals.
Other cases can be linked to conditions like multiple sclerosis, a tumor, facial trauma, or nerve damage. Moreover, sometimes doctors cannot identify a clear cause.
Trigeminal neuralgia treatment
According to Mayo Clinic, treatment options for trigeminal neuralgia may include “medicines, surgery, injections or other procedures. If trigeminal neuralgia is caused by another medical condition, such as multiple sclerosis, treatment may be needed for the underlying condition.”
How common is trigeminal neuralgia?
Every year, approximately 150,000 people in the US are diagnosed with trigeminal neuralgia, with females affected by it the most.
